Tonsillotome



March 18, 1930. CAMPBELL 1,750,874

- TONSILLOTOME Filed Dec. 12, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3 I INVENTOR WITNESSES 'grihur C Cam/p691! ATTORNEY- March 18, 1930. A. c. CAMPBELL 1,750,874

TONS ILLOTOME Filed Dec. 12, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'INVENTOR 28 z? .zzl-zhw- CCampbell In!!! I ATTORNEYY WITNESSES Patented Mar. 1a, 1930 I 1 75 ARTHUR C. CAMPBELL, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA TONSILLOTOME Application filed. December 12, 1928. Serial No. 325,523.

This invention relates to surgical instru- Figure 3 is a similar view with the blades ments, and has particular reference to an moved to their active position. v improvement in tonsillotomes of the guillo- Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view tine type,although in its broad aspect the intaken approximately on the line 44 of Fig- 5 Vention is not limited to its use for the reure 2. 55

moval of tonsils, as it is to be understood that Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse secthe principle may be applied to instruments tional View taken approximately on the line for other purposes in so far as it is applicable. 55 of Figure 3. a

i The principal and outstanding object of Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the elec- 10 the present invention is to provide an imtrical blade. u 60 proved instrument of this character which Referring to the drawings by characters of includes means for directing a high frequency reference, the instrument includes a handle electrical current through the base of the 10 constructed of an insulating material tonsil prior to the final severing of the apwhich is of the pistol grip type and which has pendages in order to reduce bleeding to an absecured to its upper end a base 11 0f substan- 65 solute minimum by coagulation, tially' U-shaped formation in cross section I More specifically, the invention'comprepresenting the upstanding side flanges 12. hends in a tonsillotome or analogous instru- AfiXed Shank member 18 is secured .to and ment, a pair of successively movable blades, nperlmposed upon the b 11v b 1 5 one f hich initially directs a high freflanges 12 and projects forwardly therefrom, 7O

' active position. electrical connection with the base 11 and the quency electrical current to the base of the min ing in ahead 14 at the free end edges tonsil for causing coagulation of the appendme l an pening 15. The anchored ages nd th th f hi h i bs tl rear end of the shank member 13 is rabbeted lo d f severing th appendages; out on 1ts upper surface as at 16 to receive a The invention further resides-in an instrublock 17 f insulating material, it being t f th character e-f th novel means understood that the base 11 and the shank for removably assembling the blades and adf 13 are of me l or a material which j ti th t i th h b fl Wlll act as an electrical conductor. The inbl f th bl d may b dil fi t d sulator block 17 1s formed with a dependlng for the purpose of cleansing and sterilizing tubular 18 Whlch P m g g so th payee tering openings 19 and 20 1n the shank mem- Other features of the invention reside in b 13 and the base element 1- The lower th i li it f t ti d d f end of the tubular boss 18 seats 1n a recess 21 use of the instrument, the economy with m the pp n of the dg p handle which it may be produced and the general pP P face fi d l 19 1 fli i d i d th f I 17 15 formed with a longitudinally extending With the above recited and other objects (1612116551011 recess 2 to accommodat? 3- in view, reference is had-to the following dereslhellt Contact finger 3 of conductmg scription and accompanying drawings, in materlalh Contact finger 1S nt a at which there is exhibited one example or emone i by a Screw 24 which Pass-es bodiment of the invention, while the claims Egiggg g gggi g g i g gggfi d fa g)? if: if? g gi gg of h ductor tube or rod 25 which is imbedded within and extends longitudinally through the 45 1 1S a Collectlve Perspeetlve hand rip or handle 10 the lower end of said lllustratmg the parts of the instrument disor tube presenin a Socket A assembled P 1n l m conductor rod or sleeve 2 imbedded in the Flgure 2 1s a g d n l sectlonal we handle 10 and disposed parallel to the contherethrough with the blades in retracted inductor sleeve or rod 25 has its upper end in .50 under side of the sheath isfprovided with an xshank member 13 through the medium of a screw 28 threadedly engaging its upper end and extending through an opening in the base 11. The lower end of the rod or sleeve 27 presents a socket 29 parallel to the socket 26 and the said sockets 26 and 29 are'designed to receive the prongs. 30 of aplug element 31 whichisdes'igned to be attachedto'the source of electrical energyth-rough the medium of an extension cord 32 carrying the, electrical conductors 33' and 34;} A cutting blade-35 m superimposed on the shank element 13 for relative sliding movements in opposite di l ections to respectively advance the cutting edge 36 of its head 37 across theaperture'd portion 1 5 otthe shank and to retract the same'with respect to saidapertured portion. I The cut-' ting blade fh'a-s its*rear end formed with I V downwardly ,ofi'set laterally spaced parallel arms 38, 38 which fit and are guided between the opposite side edges of the insulator block 17 and the marginal flanges 12 of the base 11. The rear ends of the arms 38 are joined by a thumb piece 39 which permits the advancement ofthe blade by the pressure'of the thumb thereon. The'cutting blade 35 is providedwith 'anaelongated notch 40 at one side edge whichdefines shoulders 41 and 42 adapted to selectively contactwith' the yoke 43"which is carried bfy'the shank: member 13 intermediate its length. The shoulders 41 and 42 serve to respectively limit the sliding movement of the blade in opposite directions;

' 'It will be observed thatthe arms 385 together with themai'n portion of the cutting blade 35 and thumb piece 39,- define-a slot or opening shank 3 member.-

44' whichexposes the contact finger 23 irrespective of the position of the cutting blade. 1 V

In addition to the cuttingblade, an auxiliary or supplemental coagulator blade is employedwhich serves as a means for conveying the current to a pointclosely adjacent the outer'edge of the apertured portion 15 of the v I e The .coagulator blade includes aleaf 45 of an electrical current con- ;ductingmaterial which is enclosed in a sheath 46 of an insulating material except for its terminal edge 47 which extends slightly beyond the outer end. of-the sheath. The

opening 48 which is adapted to register with andreceive therethrough the free terminal of the contact finger 23 when theflco'agulator blade is projected to its active position. The rear end of the coagulator blade is provided Qwith' a thumbpiece 49 to permit-of advancementor projection of said :blade bythepressure-of thumbthereon; and normally the thumbpiece ofgthe coagulator blade is disposed'rearwardly beyond-the-thumb piece 39 of the cutting or severingblade when? said blades are in r-etractedposition. Thecoagulator-;b1adeis provided" with an elongated notch 50' in oneot 'its side edges similar to I the notch 40-an'd which defines shoulders. 51

and 52 at its opposite ends adapted to selectively coact with the yoke 43 for positively limiting the sliding movements of the blades in opposite directions. i

In order to provide means for removably retaining the blades in place and for exerting a frictional tension on the same to prevent sliding movement thereof except when a positive pressure is exerted thereon, a covering shank member; 55"'is." provided which terminates in a head 56 atone end adapted to overli e' thehead 14 of the fixed shank member and which covering shank member is provided with an" aperture 57 designed to register with ends the covering shank member is formed with anupstanding substantially conical stud so and overlle the aperture15. Intermediate its 58' which is designed to-be received by" a keeper opening 59 formed 'in'the horizontal laterallyprojectingportion 6O ofthe yoke 43 which overliesthe fixed sh nk and blade. The rear terminal of the covering shahk member 55 is designed tobe received between the marginal upstanding flanges 12 of'the base; and a set screw 61 having'fa knurled head. 62 is threaded through the jr'ear' terminal' of the member 55 foradjustable-impingekm'lert upon the upper'en'ds of the ooagulator In use and operatien, with, the jbla'des rtracted as shown in Figuref2, the'user after positioning the, openings 57 and 15 of'Tthe shank membfers'overlthetonsil, projects the a 3 coagulator blade by the'pres'sure'of the thumb on the thumb piece 49until the'exposed edge 47 of'the conductorelement 45grips thefbjase of the tonsil and its appendages and imfpinges the same against the'outer endofthe openings" 57 and 15. Immediately"upon as suming this position, the frequency electrical current is directed through the base 7 of the tonsil and the appen'dfages;due to the closing-ofthe circuit through" the engagement of the contact finger with the 'leaff45; The '3 screwed so as to: reduce the tension on the upper shank member55 which-isthen-pressed down to" disengageth" stud 58 from" the keeper opening .59. By 'projecting the member 55- forwardly until its rear terminal clears the flanges; 1'2, I said member may be removed laterally, I after iw'hich the" blades may be freely displaced.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tonsillotome of the guillotine type including an apertured shank and a tonsil severing blade slidable over the apertured end of the shank; an auxiliary coagulator blade initially movable to grip the base of the tonsil and operable to direct a high frequency electrical current through the base of the tonsil for effecting coagulation of the appendages prior to the actual severance of the tonsil by the severing blade.

2. In a tonsillotome of the guillotine including an apertured shank and a tonsil severing blade slidable over the apertured end of the shank; an auxiliary coagulator blade initially movableto'grip the base of the tonsil and operable to direct a high frequency electrical current through the base of the tonsil for effecting coagulation of the appendages prior to the actual severance of the tonsil by the severing blade, said auxiliary blade including an electrical current conductor leaf insulated from the shank and means for automatically closing the circuit through said leaf when the auxiliary blade is moved to active gripping relation with the base of the tonsil.

3. In a tonsillotome of the guillotine type including an apertured shank and a tonsil severing blade slidable over the apertured end of the shank; an auxiliary coagulator blade initially movable to grip the base of the tonsil and operable to direct a high frequency electrical current through the base of the tonsil for effecting coagulation of the appendages prior to the actual severance of the tonsil by the severing blade, said auxiliary blade including an electrical current conductor leaf, a sheath of an insulating material enclosing the same and from which one extremity of the conductor leaf projects and means for automatically closing the circuit through said. leaf when the auxiliary blade is moved to active gripping relation with the base of the tonsil.

4. A surgical instrument including superposed shank members having aligned apertured ends through which the tonsil or the like is received, a pair of independently movable blades slidable between the apertured ends of the shank members, one of said blades including a portion constructed of an insulating material and an electrical current conductor leaf enclosed thereby with one end extending beyond the insulated portion and means for automatically completing a high frequency electrical circuit through said leaf and the base of the tonsil when said blade is moved to an active gripping relation with the base of the tonsil.

5. A tonsillotome including a pair of superposed separable shank members having aligned apertures in adjacent ends, coagulator and severing blades mounted between said shank members for independent sliding movement from a normally inactive retracted position to an active projected position across and between the apertured ends, said coagulator blade including an insulator sheath, an electrical current conductor leaf enclosed by the sheath with one end thereof exposed, a

handle of an insulating material attached to one of the shank members having electrical conductors extending therethrough, one of which is electrically connected with the shank member and the other of which is insulated therefrom and means for establishing an electrical connection with the conductor leaf when the coagulator blade is fully projected to its active position.

6. A tonsillotome including a pair of superposed separable shank members having aligned apertures in adjacent ends, coagulator and severing blades mounted between said shank members for independent sliding movement from a normally inactive retracted position to an active projected position across and between the apertured ends, said coagulator blade including an insulator sheath, an electrical current conductor leaf enclosed by the sheath with one end thereof exposed. a handle of an insulating material attached to one of the shank members having electrical conductors extending therethrough, one of which is electrically connected with the shank member and the other of which is insulated therefrom and means for establishing an electrical connection with the conductor leaf when the coagulator blade is fully projected to its active position, said means comprising an apertured rear end of the sheath and a resilient contact finger connected with the other conductor and projectable through the apertured portion for engagement with the conductor leaf.

ARTHUR C. CAMPBELL. 

